Extra funding still possible for relief road

A transport minister has said government funding remains on the cards for Shrewsbury's north west relief road, but will not be awarded until the scheme is finalised.

Guy Opperman said a separate £136m announced on Monday for transport schemes was for Shropshire Council to allocate.

Neighbouring Telford & Wrekin Council has been awarded £107m.

Labour ridiculed what it described as a "back of a fag packet plan" and said communities were "sick and tired" of empty promises.

Asked by BBC Radio Shropshire about the future of the relief road, Mr Opperman said: "We’re funding the entirety of the outline business case (OBC), again using HS2 money.

"But we’re waiting for the final decision in respect of the final business case from the local authority in respect of Shrewsbury relief road.”

He said that would not be part of the Local Transport Fund allocation announced on Monday.

A final cost for the road's construction is still to be announced.

Shropshire Council has said forecasting the cost is challenging, because the original OBC pre-dates the pandemic and significant construction cost inflation since.

Mr Opperman said the Local Transport Fund allocations, to be released over the next seven years, were for local authorities to improve transport as they saw fit.

Speaking at the site of a proposed pelican crossing in Leebotwood, the minister said: "If they want to use it only for potholes, that's a matter for them.

"If they want to use it for a pelican crossing, that's something they can do."

Shropshire councillor Dan Morris said: "We’re pleased that the council will be able to choose how to spend the money, and we will continue working with local communities to decide how to invest this funding in line with our emerging priorities and strategies."

Ruth Ross, chief executive of the Shropshire Chamber business group, said: “We are pleased to see the government pledging this much needed funding boost for our transport infrastructure.

“We also welcome the devolution of this allocation, allowing local authorities to decide how best to spend it."

But Lee Carter, cabinet member of Labour run Telford & Wrekin Council, said: "We have no detail on how much of the Local Transport Fund we will see in Telford and Wrekin each year but it will not kick in until April 2025 at the earliest.

"Our fear is that much of it could be loaded into the second half of the decade."

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